Mitogenomic phylogeny,biogeography,and cryptic divergence of the genus Silurus(Siluriformes:Siluridae)

The genus Silurus,an important group of catfish,exhibits heterogeneous distribution in Eurasian freshwater systems.This group includes economically important and endangered species,thereby attracting considerable scientific interest.Despite this interest,the lack of a comprehensive phylogenetic framework impedes our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the extensive diversity found within this genus.Herein,we analyzed 89 newly sequenced and 20 previously published mitochondrial genomes(mitogenomes)from 13 morphological species to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships,biogeographic history,and species diversity of Silurus.Our phylogenetic reconstructions identified eight clades,supported by both maximum-likelihood and Bayesian inference.Sequence-based species delimitation analyses yielded multiple molecular operational taxonomic units(MOTUs)in several taxa,including the Silurus asotus complex(four MOTUs)and Silurus microdorsalis(two MOTUs),suggesting that species diversity is underestimated in the genus.A reconstructed time-calibrated tree of Silurus species provided an age estimate of the most recent common ancestor of approximately 37.61 million years ago(Ma),with divergences among clades within the genus occurring between 11.56 Ma and 29.44 Ma,and divergences among MOTUs within species occurring between 3.71 Ma and 11.56 Ma.Biogeographic reconstructions suggested that the ancestral area for the genus likely encompassed China and the Korean Peninsula,with multiple inferred dispersal events to Europe and Central and Western Asia between 21.78 Ma and 26.67 Ma and to Japan between 2.51 Ma and 18.42 Ma.Key factors such as the Eocene-Oligocene extinction event,onset and intensification of the monsoon system,and glacial cycles associated with sea-level fluctuations have likely played significant roles in shaping the evolutionary history of the genus Silurus.

Evaluation of Nutritional Value and Safety of Black Soldier Flies Fed on Dead Pig Meat and Bone Meal

[Objectives]This study was conducted to evaluate the nutritional value and safety of black soldier flies fed with dead pig meat and bone meal(DPMBM)and to explore the resource utilization of DPMBM.[Methods]The general nutrient composition,amino acids,fatty acids and mineral elements of black soldier fly meal(BSLM)were detected and analyzed.[Results]The results showed that the contents of moisture,crude protein,crude fat and ash in BSLM were 3.42%,42.31%,34.04%and 5.40%,respectively.The contents of total amino acids(TAA),essential amino acids(∑EAA)and non-essential amino acids(∑NEAA)and umami amino acids(∑DAA),the EAA/TAA value and the EAA/NEAA value were 37.93%,13.08%,24.85%,13.43%,34.47%,52.61%,respectively.A total of eight kinds of saturated fatty acids and seven kinds of unsaturated fatty acids were detected,accounting for 63.65%and 32.67%of the total fatty acids.Among the major mineral elements,the content of Ca was the highest,followed by K,Mg and Na.Among the trace mineral elements,the content of Mn was the highest,followed by Fe,Zn,Cu,Ni,Cr,Cd,As,Pb,Se,Sn,Ti,Sb and Hg.The contents of heavy metal mineral elements in BSLM were far lower than the limits specified in Hygienical Standard for Feeds.[Conclusions]In conclusion,BSLM has high nutritional value and good safety of heavy metals,and thus great potential for development and utilization as a high quality dietary protein,fat and mineral elements source.

Analysis and Evaluation of Nutrient Composition in the Wild, Pond- and Lake-Cultured Topmouth Culter (Culter alburnus)

Research was conducted on topmouth culter (Culter alburnus) grown in ponds and lakes as well as wild types in order to determine their chemical composition and nutritional value. There are three types of fish that differ in their proximate composition, amino acids, fatty acids, and minerals. Wild fish had a significantly lower crude lipid contents than cultured fish (P P ∑PUFAs) showed an obviously opposite trend. As compared with cultured fish, wild fish had significantly higher levels of n-3 PUFAs, arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahxaenoic acid (DHA) (P P > 0.05), except for Na, Fe and Se. In conclusion, diet composition and external aqueous environment may determine the differences between wild and cultured topmouth culter.

Comparative Nutritional Analysis on Fish Meal and Meat and Bone Meal of Harmless Treatment of Dead Pig Carcass

In order to explore the resource utilization of the harmless treatment product(pork meat and bone meal,abbreviated PM)of pigs died of non-communicable diseases,the general nutritional components and amino acid composition of PM and fish meal were determined and compared.The results showed that the contents of moisture,crude protein,crude fat and ash in PM and fish meal were 3.25%and 8.92%,66.65%and 66.67%,13.52%and 8.23%,18.25%and 21.50%,respectively.The contents of essential amino acids(EAA)in PM and fish meal were 19.94%and 22.35%,respectively.For PM and fish meal,the first limiting amino acid was Met(methionine)+Cys(cysteine),and the second limiting amino acid was Lys(lysine);their essential amino acid indexes(EAAI)were 66.60 and 77.04,respectively;and their delicious amino acid(DAA)contents were 26.89%and 23.15%,respectively.In summary,the meat and bone meal of pigs died of non-communicable diseases has the characteristics of high protein and low ash contents,and has certain development and utilization potential as a recycled waste resource,especially in aquatic feed to replace fish meal.

Temporal Distribution of Fish Community Structure in Dongting Lake Estuary

The Dongting Lake Estuary is migration pathways for some river-lake migratory and semi-migratory fishes. In the present study, an annual survey of fish was conducted from January to November 2018 covering a total of 6 sites in Dongting Lake Estuary. A total of 57 freshwater species and subspecies belonging to 5 orders and 10 families were recorded. The catches at the Dongting Lake Estuary were mainly composed of Lake settled fish. The biomass of Cyprinus (Cyprinus) carpio Linnaeus was the highest, accounting for 25.53% of the total catches, followed by Hypophthalmichthys molitrixs, Culter alburnus Basilewsky and Ctenopharyngodon idellus, accounting for 10.41%, 8.99% and 7.10% of the total catches, respectively. The four major domestic carps accounted for 26.13% of the total catch. The range of richness of species varied between 40 and 51 species. The trend was fewer species in spring, with the arrival of summer and autumn gradually increasing, peaking at the turn of summer and autumn, and then gradually decreasing with the arrival of winter, to the lowest in spring. The Shannon, Simpson, Pielou and Margalef indices showed the consistent trends with richness of species.

Reproductive biology of Schizopygopsis younghusbandi Regan 1905(Cyprinidae:Schizothoracinae)in the middle reaches of Yarlung Tsangpo River,China

The reproductive biology of Schizopygopsis younghusbandi(Cyprinidae: Schizothoracinae) was studied by 719 individuals that collected from August 2008 to August 2009 in the middle reaches of Yarlung Tsangpo River, China. We coupled monthly variations of the gonadosomatic index(GSI), monthly proportions of the macroscopic maturity stages with size distribution of oocytes to evaluate spawning seasons. Taken as a set, these results indicated that S. younghusband i spawned from March to April with high degree of the spawning synchronicity. The standard lengths and the ages at 50% maturity for male were 222 mm and 4.4 year, and 308 mm and 7.0 year for female. In addition, the estimated mean fecundity and mean relative fecundity were 18682 and 57.8 eggs per g body weight. The fecundity of S. younghusbandi increased linearly with increasing of standard length and body weight. This study provides details about the S. younghusbandi reproduction suggesting that may be this species is vulnerable to exploitation in the middle reaches of Yarlung Tsangpo River.

Genetic Structure of <i>Spinibarbus caldwelli</i>Based on mtDNA D-Loop

Spinibarbus caldwelli was an endemic species to China, and its germplasm protection and resources utilization had become more and more concerned. To know its genetic diversity and differentiation, the mitochondrial DNA D-loop was amplified and sequenced for 148 individuals from four regions of Pearl River and Yangtze River Basin. Altogether 9 variable nucleotide sites existed among the aligned sequences of 748 bp, and 8 haplotypes were found within 148 individuals. The average nucleotide diversity (Pi) was high 0.00297, while haplotype diversity (Hd) was 0.706. The average genetic distance was 0.00298, most value occurred between LJ and CL populations, and small value occurred between HJ and QZ populations.

Status of aquatic organisms resources and their environments in Yangtze River system(2017-2021)

The Yangtze River is the mother river of China.To promote the aquatic ecosystem protection of the great river,the Project of Yangtze Fisheries Resources and Environment Investigation(2017-2021)supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs,P.R.China carried out by 24 institutes and universities that located in the Yangtze River basin surveys the status of(1)fish species composition and spatial distribution,(2)current fish abundance,(3)endangered fishes,(4)Yangtze finless porpoise,(5)aquatic eco-environments,(6)water-level fluctuation areas,(7)capture fisheries and recreational fisheries of the Yangtze River mainstream and 10 of its main tributaries,including Yalong River,Heng River,Min River(including Dadu River),Chishui River,Tuo River,Jialing River,Wu River,Han River,Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake.The results showed that there were 443 fish species(belonging to 163 genus,37 families,and 18 orders)before 2017,but only 323 fish species(including 15 new recorded exotic species)were recorded in the project of 2017-2021.Among them,Cyprinus carpio,Carassius auratus,Hypophthalmichthys molitrix,Pelteobagrus fulvidraco,Coilia brachygnathus,Silurus asotus,Saurogobio dabryi,Ctenopharyngodon idellus,Pelteobagrus nitidus,Hemiculter leucisculus,Siniperca chuatsi,Coreius heterodon,Culter alburnus,Parabramis pekinensis,and Aristichthys nobilis were the dominant species across the whole Yangtze River system.It is estimated that there were 886 million individuals weighing 124.8 million kg,merely equivalent to 27.3%of the resources in 1950s,30.9%of the resources in 1960s,or 58.7%of the resources in 1980s.In the new list of protected fishes that recorded in the Yangtze River system,only 15 of 29 were collected in this project of 2017-2021.Psephurus gladius has been affirmed to be Extinct by International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN).The wild individuals of Tenualosa reevesii and Luciobrama macrocephalus have disappeared for many years and maybe have been extinct already.Acipenser dabryanus has been affirmed to be Extinct in the Wild by IUCN.The natural propagations of A.sinensis,Myxocyprinus asiaticus and Trachidermus fasciatus have been interrupted for many years.The populations of Yangtze finless porpoise in the Yangtze River mainstream,Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake have steadily rising sizes and expanding distributions in 2017-2021.Parts of them migrate from one region to another with the seasons,which would result in the fluctuation of Yangtze finless porpoise population within some regions.The conventional indicators of water quality in the Yangtze River system were good and conformed to the water quality criteria of fishery in 2017-2021.In the last 40 years,the maximum surface water area in the Yangtze River basin extended to approximately 63,360 km2,the minimum surface water area covered approximately 26,396 km2,and the seasonal water-level fluctuation areas occupied approximately 36,964 km2.Compared with 1984-2000 period,the 2001-2020 period witnessed an overall decreasing trend in the frequency of surface water occurrence within about 25,869 km2 of aquatic areas.From 1984 to 2000 period to 2001-2020 period,permanent surface water has decreased by nearly 8,750 km2.In 2017,the fishermen were mainly 40-60 years old and their educational levels were mainly lower than junior high school.In 2017,most anglers were older than 40 and used hand rod and/or sea rod.Their average catch of each time was mainly less than 1 kg.Results suggested that the fishing ban in key waters of the Yangtze River basin is not only an ecological project of aquatic ecosystem conservation,but also a livelihood project for the fisherman to embrace industrial transformation and improve their living conditions.After the implementation of the fishing ban,the fisheries resources would gradually recover,and the Yangtze finless porpoise population size would also see a steady increase.However,the endangered species would remain threatened for a long time.The degraded waterbodies and water-level fluctuation areas would be the key restrictive factors for future aquatic ecosystem recovery in the Yangtze River basin.Since this survey was carried out before the fishing ban,the current results could provide a baseline for future evaluation of the effect of the Yangtze River fishing ban.